Dame Arlene Phillips joins campaign to increase benefits

Dame Arlene Phillips. Photo courtesy of the Trussell Trust

Dame Arlene Phillips has joined the Trussell Trust’s campaign urging the Government to ensure Universal Credit guarantees the essentials.

In a heartfelt appeal to supporters, the internationally renowned choreographer wrote: “I know first-hand that everyone’s circumstances can change. My Mum passed away from leukaemia when I was 15, so I had to look after my younger brother and sister when my Dad was often unwell. This meant that growing up I knew what it was like to go without, whether that was cutting back on essentials or by missing time at school to help at home.  

“I’ve met plenty of others with similar experiences, including parents who are constantly treading water and in danger of being completely plunged under by just one unexpected bill.   How can this be right in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?  

“Universal Credit should offer support to anyone in need of help, but right now it’s not providing enough to cover the cost of life’s essentials. Of the low-income households that are receiving Universal Credit, five in six are still going without the essentials.   

“We can’t always deal with what life throws at us on our own – my own life experiences have taught me that. That’s why Universal Credit should protect people from going without the essentials at the very least.”

She urged supporters to sign a petition from the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) calling on political party leaders to implement an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ into Universal Credit.

Research from JRF and Trussell Trust shows that, in 2023/24, a single adult needs at least around £120 per week to cover essentials, like food, utilities, vital household items and travel (excluding rent and council tax). But Universal Credit’s standard allowance is currently only £85 per week for a single adult aged 25 or over - a shortfall of at least £35 per week.

The shortfall is around £66 per week for a couple where at least one is aged 25. The gaps are even greater for adults under the age of 25, who receive lower standard allowance rates: £53 per week short for a single adult and £94 per week short for a couple.

Jenna Fansa, of Hackney Foodbank added: “If Universal Credit really did cover the essentials, demand for our food bank would reduce greatly. In the past year we’ve responded to a 53% increase in referrals, with single parent households and people aged over 65 among those most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.”

To sign the petition, visit www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/campaigns/guarantee-our-essentials/